Animal welfare experts have issued a warning to people not to purchase the feline version of XL Bully dogs.
Breeders in the US have created “XL bully cats” – which resemble breed recently banned in the UK – by mixing the genes of hairless Sphynx cats with the gene responsible for the short legs of a munchkin cat.
New research warns the ‘mutant’ hybrids have a significantly shorter lifespan of only six years and also suffer from an array of other health complications, reports the Express. Cat lovers are being urged to avoid the temptation to buy the new breed which causes unnecessary suffering to animals.
Dr Grace Carroll, an animal behaviour specialist at Queen’s University Belfast says pet owners should exercise caution when purchasing experimental breeds as ultimately “consumers hold purchasing power.”
She said: “By refusing to buy breeds with extreme traits, we can discourage breeders from prioritising aesthetics over the health and welfare of the animals.”
Dr Carroll insisted that people should “let cats be cats” but also warned that the breed would suffer and experience health complications throughout a shortened life.
The breed is believed to have a communication handicap due to not having any whiskers, like the sphynx cat as well as poor spatial awareness and navigation ability.
Dr Carroll says that the exaggerated features of the breed are said to be behind respiratory complications whilst the hairlessness leaves them vulnerable to skin cancer and sunburn.
She added: “Kittens already have a limited ability to regulate their body temperature, which is further complicated by hairlessness, making them susceptible to respiratory infections and skin issues.”
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